Jigsaw Puzzles
by innerbunny
Summary: They've been together since the beginning. Hiei x OC Second part to Puzzle Pieces
1. Prologue

Do you know what a soul mate is? Now, this doesn't happen always, but it's not rare. When a soul is created, often a small piece is ripped off. *ouch, that sounds painful* Indeed. As I was saying. When a soul is created, a small piece is ripped off. That piece grows, and changes. Eventually, it becomes a soul of it's own and is able to be placed into a waiting body. As those two souls grow, they are inexplicably drawn to each other. A red string of fate, I believe humans call it. *Wait! Is that like how I found Yukina?* Precisely, Kuwabara. *But, I'm not a demon. Shouldn't we both be the same, if that's how it is* No. Your soul is able to find the perfect body, though we don't exactly know how it decides. And, as far as soul mates are concerned, human or demon or otherwise, none of it matters.

Shadow demons are… different. Even in Demon world. Every single one of them has a soul mate. And every single one of them is created from the other's soul. They also have a one hundred percent finding rate. Within the first year after they're born, they will always find their future mates. *So, Hiei and Manea knew they were mates from the beginning?* Yes. More likely than not, they haven't been apart for more than a year since she found him.

They differ from other demons in other ways, as well. For one, it's nearly impossible to gauge their true strength. They usually mimic their mate's energy. If they have a weaker mate, they will seem weaker as well. With a stronger mate, their power levels may read higher than they truly are. *But, I thought Hiei didn't want a mate? He's always going on about how stupid and irritating women are.* Have you ever heard him say that about Manea, though? *Well, no. Actually, he nearly cut the head off a demon for insulting her.* Exactly my point. He is her mate, even if they aren't able to make it official yet. *Why can't they make it official?* Hiei hasn't reached maturity yet. As for Manea, that's another way Shadow demons are different. They reach Maturity at the same time as their mate. Unless that mate was already mature before they were born, in which case they mature much faster than is normal. But that doesn't matter. For demons to officially become mates, they both have to have reached Maturity. *Oh! Kinda like how to get married, you both have to be adults?* You're catching on quicker than usual today. *HEY!* No offense. But, yes. It is like the custom humans have of marriage. Except, there is no going back. Once a pair of demons is actually mated, their lives are bonded. One can no longer live without the other. Now, as I was saying previously, Hiei has known most of his life that Manea is his soulmate. From what he's told me, he never really questioned it. To him, she is as necessary as breathing. Don't tell him I told you this, as I'm sure he would probably kill me, but he once told me that, as corny as it sounds, for him, it was love at first sight. He had woken one day to a strange, tiny creature clinging to him. He has never even considered another. And why would he? She was literally created just for him.

* * *

 **Alright, second part of the HieixManea story. Hope you all like this, I feel this answers some questions I didn't get answered in the last part... Meh. Oh well. Review, please! Love, Bunny**


	2. Black Mist

Two small children, one a black haired boy and the other a red haired female with tiny horns, held hands as they walked along a barely there path in the forest. The boy was covered in dried blood while the girl had only a few spatters. The girl child dragged her feet, tired beyond words. Having been kept by the Leader in camp at all times, she wasn't used to getting so much exercise.

"Can't we take a break? I know we've only been walking for about two hours, but I'm really sleepy." The child, whom appeared to be no more than four years old, tugged on the other's hand.

A frown graced his small face as he took in his companion's exhaustion. "There's a hot spring just up ahead. We can bathe and rest." A large smile spread across the girl's face, her pace hurrying. The boy chuckled quietly to himself, the grip on his hand pulling him after her.

Soon enough, the trees parted, revealing a small clearing. Wild flowers of every shape and colour covered the field. A large, ancient tree sat in the center, branches draping down to caress the ground. Next to the tree, a small, crystal clear pond steamed.

With a giggle, the girl child ran to the pond, throwing off her soiled clothing as she went. The boy raced along behind her, as she had somehow stripped without having ever released his hand. Only once they reached the edge, and she realized that he was still dressed, did she loosen her grip. She turned to the boy, hands on her hips, "Hiei. You can't bathe with your clothes on."

Hiei rolled his eyes, hands going to remove his shirt. "Perhaps, if you would have let go of my hand, I would have already finished undressing."

Satisfied that he would be joining her shortly, the girl jumped into the pond. Hiei, having gathered their clothing and placed it in the shallows of the pond to soak, sank into the water slowly. "Manea, keep your head above the water. I don't want you to faint."

Manea swam up to Hiei, splashing water into his face. "Alright, Hiei. I'll be careful."

Hours passed and the two bathed in luxury, getting out only eat and hang their clothes up to dry. Finally, with the sun setting, the two crawled out of the warm water to dry on the bank. Manea giggled tiredly, "That was fun, Hiei!"

As Hiei opened his mouth to reply, a spike stabbed through his stomach from the ground below. Manea screamed as Hiei coughed blood. Evil laughter drifted over the once silent clearing. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? Two weak, young demons." The flowers rustled as the creature neared. "Oh dear. It seems I've injured one of you. Well, that's no good. No one wants damaged merchandise, after all. Luckily, the girl is uninjured." A large man emerged from the darkness. His skin was green and covered in scales. Long, messy, black hair hung limply to his shoulders. Long, lean arms hung at his sides, with claws as long as the fingers they attached to. His thin torso merged into a long, dark green, snake-like tail. As he slithered closer to the two children, Hiei placed himself between the demon and Manea.

Two long, slim spikes emerged from the demon's hands, one of which was tinged with red. "You think you, a scrawny child, can stand up to me?! I am Nephrite! Leader of the Neophites! Slayer of the Hawks! And you think you can stop me from stealing your friend? From killing you!?" The demon moved forward, slashing with his spikes. Hiei drew his sword, blocking. Hiei stabbed forward, catching the demon's side slightly and leaving himself open to the incoming blow to his left arm. The spike sunk in, hitting bone before being jerked out. Hiei stumbled, forcing himself to stay upright and in front of Manea. "Hm. Good job, you blocked one. Maybe you would have been worth something, after all. Too bad for you, I don't like pain." The demon thrust a spike forward, Hiei too tired and weak to dodge.

Black mist coiled around Hiei, "Don't hurt my Hiei." Spoke a voice so soft, it was just a whisper on the wind. And yet, none present could have missed the threat of violence in the melodic tones. The snake demon jerked the spike back, looking in amazement as it dissolved before his eyes. He jerked his head over as he sensed movement approaching. Manea, cloaked in a black mist, walked slowly toward Hiei as his legs gave out, no longer able to support his own weight.

The snake demon hissed, rushing toward the two children now almost completely concealed behind the strange mist. As he neared, the mist shot out at him,coiling and reacting to his dodges as if it had a mind of it's own. Deciding that close combat wasn't an option, Nephrite jumped back, the black mist slicing slightly into his left thigh. He landed one hundred yards away from the children, finally able to get a good look at the children that he had never guessed would be able to put up such a fight. The boy child lay in the girl's arms, struggling against her in an attempt to rise. It was the smaller of the two, however, that caused shivers to run down his back.

Her strange, mismatched eyes didn't deviate from his, even as she fought to keep her partner from rising. As he watched, black bled into the whites of her eyes, the red and gold illuminating her face, even in the dark.

Nephrite placed his hands on the ground, spiked vines burrowing into the ground and winding their way to the children. _They'll never know what hit them. Hehehe._ Spikes thrust through the earth below the two children, narrowly missing them as they jumped into the branches of the tree. "Tsk. Irritating little brats."

Up in the tree, Hiei was glaring at Manea. The black mist had wrapped itself around him, tying him to the trunk of the tree. "Stay here, Hiei," that soft, whispery voice ordered. Before he could retort, Manea had already jumped down and was making her way to the snake demon.

"I told you to leave my Hiei alone. You should have listened." Manea advanced on the snake demon, the black mist forming a large scythe in her left hand. "I don't like seeing my Hiei hurt."

The snake demon shook, though he didn't know why he was so afraid of this child. She felt so weak. Almost exactly as weak as her companion had been. _No,_ he told himself, _She's just a child. I wasn't prepared last time. I was just surprised, that's all. It's nothing to worry about._ And still, a cold sweat slicked his brow as he pulled another spike from his hands. Now armed with two green spikes, he rushed at Manea. He thrust forward, his spike sinking deep into her stomach. He smirked, sure of his victory.

Black oozed from the wound, winding itself around the spike and up his arm. Nephrite jumped back, screaming in pain as his skin burned and blistered everywhere the black touched. A faint wind swept through the clearing, laughter like the tinkling of bells taunting his ears. Nephrite's eyes moved from his burned arm to where the spike had been in her stomach. There wasn't a mark. No blood. Her dress wasn't even torn. Nephrite blinked. His eyes must be playing tricks. He had felt his spike sink into flesh. He felt the warmth of blood spilling over his hand. But, no matter how many times he blinked, or rubbed his eyes, still there wasn't a mark. No blood, no tear in her dress.

Manea walked forward, her scythe held lightly in her hand. She smiled, head tilted slightly in amusement. The grown demon glared at her, his one remaining spike held in an iron grip. With a giggle, she swung her weapon, just slowly enough the snake was able to block. Again and again, she swung and he blocked. She pushed him back, speeding up and occasionally catching his body, leaving thin, shallow cuts. Faster and faster she went, dancing around him, making him dizzy. Deeper and deeper she made the cuts, occasionally carving chunks from his body. First his right hand, the one that had first injured Hiei. Now his forearm, his shoulder. "Come on, Mr Snake. I thought you were the 'Great Nephrinte' or something." Another slash and his left hand fell to the ground.

"Wait! Please! I didn't mean to hurt your friend! Honest, I was just playing" Nephrite begged.

"You wanted to play?" Manea froze, her scythe stopping in its downward arc. The snake demon nodded frantically.

"Don't listen to him! MANEA!" Hiei's shout pulled Manea out of her confusion just in time to see the demon's tail, now armed with his spike, speeding toward her. She spun her scythe, the pike at the end impaling the demon's heart as the blade sliced off the end of his tail.

Blood dripped from Nephrite's mouth as he stared in horror at the pole now embedded in his chest. "I don't like being lied to, Mr Snake," Manea's voice had returned to normal, the scythe returning to black mist which in turn engulfed the demon. His screaming was muffled as the mist devoured his body.

* * *

Hiei and Manea, having just had their first encounter without the backing from the group, had run as soon as Hiei was able. They didn't stop for hours, Manea not complaining even when her legs cramped and she thought she would pass out. Neither could understand what had come over her. She was a kind soul, they both knew that from their time in the camp. She didn't like fighting, and though she would kill without regret, she had never tortured her prey as she had done that night.

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 **I know, I know. It's been WAY too long. I've had a bunch of crap happen in my life (most of it not bad). On top of that, I have major writer's block. I don't even know what to do in my other story... Meh, i'll get around to it eventually. I hope you enjoyed this!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, Hiei would be taller.**


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